'Hell On Earth': 53-Year-Old Man Drives Into Crowd at Football Parade, Injuring Nearly 50 People, Including Children

A city-wide celebration ended in panic when a van barreled into a crowd, transforming a soccer parade into a scene of devastation.

A 53-year-old white British man drove a minivan into a crowd of people celebrating the Liverpool Football Club's Premier League win on May 26, 2025. The vehicle struck the crowd on Water Street in the city center around 6 p.m. BST, injuring almost 50 individuals, including several children. Police arrested the driver at the scene and are not treating the incident as a terror attack.

The vehicle sped through densely packed crowds as tens of thousands of fans lined the streets to celebrate their favorite soccer team's achievement.

Authorities reported that several people were trapped beneath the minivan, including a child. Of the injured, 27 were taken to local hospitals. A kid and one other victim are still in serious condition.

This sudden turn of events shocked those in attendance. Eyewitness Dan Ogunshakin described the horror, "The change in the mood from what has been a glorious day to just hell on earth. It was terrifying, it genuinely was terrifying."

Shortly after the incident, Merseyside Police issued an update on X. They reported that they had been contacted in the evening of Monday, May 26, regarding a car hitting a number of pedestrians at the parade, and that the vehicle remained at the scene with a male in custody.

In another X post following the incident, the department confirmed the suspect's age, nationality, and race, including that he lived in the area. They also urged the public not to speculate about the cause and requested that people refrain from sharing disturbing images from the site online.

Instead, they asked for any footage or tips to be submitted directly to the authorities to aid in their investigation through "Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Additionally, on May 27, TODAY confirmed that four children were among the injured and that one of them had been trapped under the minivan. The outlet also reported that the motive behind the crash remains unknown. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported at this time.

Even with the suspect in custody, police continue to carry out extensive inquiries to determine how and why the vehicle entered the pedestrian-filled area. As the investigation continues, Liverpool is left grappling with the emotional aftermath of this incident on what was meant to be a day of triumph and unity.

Arrests often bring the only sense of justice in tragedies like these, whether the culprit plowed their car into a crowd or injured people at school with a gun. As reported previously, following the mass shooting that occurred at Wilmer-Hutchins High School on April 15, a 17-year-old identified as Tracy Denard Haynes Jr. has been taken into custody.

The violent incident, which unfolded on the Southeast Dallas campus, sent five students to the hospital and raised serious concerns about school safety protocols.

The shooting took place just after 1 p.m., and newly released details from the arrest affidavit show investigators relied heavily on hallway surveillance video to determine what happened.

According to police, Haynes was let into the building by another student through an unsecured door. The footage shows him walking down a hallway, pulling out a gun, and shooting at a group of male students. One student who couldn't flee was shot at point-blank range.

Despite existing safety measures like metal detectors and clear backpack requirements, officials confirmed the door Haynes entered had not been properly secured. Dallas ISD Police Chief Scott Smith clarified that this wasn't a case of staff messing up or the school district's rules not working.

Around 9 p.m., Haynes surrendered to authorities at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center. He faces four charges of aggravated assault related to the incident, which is a first-degree felony. He is currently detained in the Dallas County Jail with a bond set at $600,000.

According to a special agent with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Haynes intentionally tried to inflict serious harm or death using a firearm during a single criminal act targeting multiple individuals, qualifying the attack under Texas's mass shooting statute.

Although officials initially reported four injuries, updated police records confirmed that five students were struck. All of them were transported to nearby medical facilities. Four sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while one person's condition is still critical.

Furthermore, three of the injured are between the ages of 15 and 18, and sources confirmed that one 17-year-old was shot in the lower leg.

Officials have not confirmed if Haynes was a student at the school or explained his motive. Moreover, authorities have not released any more information about other possible connections between Haynes and the school community or how he gained access to the firearm.

Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said the high school will remain closed for the rest of the week, and extra security will be deployed to nearby campuses.

In a statement made shortly after the shooting, Elizalde called the incident "unthinkable," adding, "Quite frankly, this is just becoming way too familiar, and it should not be familiar."

She also cautioned that not all answers would be available right away, but assured the public that the district is committed to transparency as the investigation continues.

Witnesses described a chaotic and terrifying scene. Sergio Campos, who serves on the Wilmer City Council and is also a parent, was at the school for a meeting with his child's teacher when the shooting started.

He said he heard approximately seven shots and saw at least one student being carried outside with what appeared to be a leg wound. "The kids were just running out, all of them — just hundreds of kids running out," he recalled.

This is the second shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in just over a year. The earlier incident occurred on April 12, 2024, when another 17-year-old brought a revolver to school and shot a classmate in the leg during class.